Process of making liquid fuel



e; E. GRAY. PROCESS OF, MAKING LIQUID FUEL'.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2.1920.

Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

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I GEORGE E. GRAY, 01" COMPTON, CALIFORNIA PROCESS OF MAKING: LIQUIDFUEL.

Application filed. July 2, 1920. Serial No. 393,525.

. vision of a light hydrocarbon fuel of such specific gravity andflashing point as to adapt the same for use as the fuel for an internalcombustion engine without necessitating pre-heating of the fuel.

The invention will be readily understood from the following descriptionof the accompanying drawing in which is shown an apparatus for carryingout the improved process.

By my improved process kerosene or any other of the heavier hydrocarbonsis united with a chemical agent having affinity for the hydrocarbon, andthe resulting mixture is subjected to a gaseous hydrocarbon, whichthrough its aflinity for the chemical agent will cause the uniting ofthe heavy hydrocarbon with the gaseous hydrocarbon to produce ahydrocarbon suitable for use, when carburetted in the usual manner nowemployed in. connection with internal combustion-engines, to form acombustible mixture for the engine.

As a specific illustration of an example of the improved process, I maymix commercial kerosene with acetone which through its afinity for thekerosene will readily mix therewith. The resulting mixture is thenimpregnated with a gaseous hydrocarbon, preferably, a hydrocarbonconsisting for the main part of one of the gaseous hydrocarbons of theparaffin series such as methane. This gaseous hydrocarbon may be naturalgas as now obtained. The aflinity of the acetone for this gaseoushydrocarbon will cause a mixture to be formed including the heavy liquidhydrocarbon and the ight gaseous hydrocarbon. This resulting mixturewill be found to form a fuel of a specific gravity and flashing pointwhich readily adapts the same for use as the fuel for an internalcombustion engine or for other uses wherever such a fuel is desired.

In the drawing T have shown means for carrying out the'process as thusset forth including areceptacle 1 wherein the heavy hydrocarbon mixedwith the acetone is adapted to be impregnated with the natural gas. Thereceptacle may include a perforated cage 2 in which are positionedparticles of inert material adapted to be coated with the heavyhydrocarbon so that the gaseous hydrocarbon passing between saidparticles will have a large surface of the heavy hydrocarbon exposed tosaid gas for permitting of the ready mixture of the gas and liquid. Asan instance of this arrangement balls 3 of metal, stone, coke or thelike may be provided in cage 2, the

shape of these balls being such as to provide free passageways betweenthe same and through which the gaseous hydrocarbon may pass.

The heavy liquid hydrocarbon mixed with the acetone may be suppliedthrough a pipe 4 having a perforated header .5 above cage 2 so that theliquid mixture supplied to receptacle 1 will flow downwardly over theballs 3. A pipe 6 for supplying the gaseous hydrocarbon, preferably,extends upwardly through the base of receptacle 1 with a baflle 7arranged to prevent the liquid flowing through cage 2 from entering thepipe 6. A discharge pipe 8 is provided at the base of receptacle 1, saidpipe being, preferably, provided with a cut-0d valve 9 actuated by afioat 10 which is also adapted to actuate a cut-off valve 11 provided inpipe 6. The valves 9 and 11 are adapted to be closed as float 10 fallsand rises'res'pectively.

' A certain proportion of the product formed by the anixture of theliquidand gaseous hydrocarbons will be in a liquid. form which willcollect in the bottom of receptac e 1 and the remaining portion of theproduct thus formed will be in a gaseous state. This gas may bewithdrawn fromreceptacle 1 through a conduit 12 communieating with theupper end of thereceptacle and leading to a condenser 13, preferably,provided with a perforated plate i l supporting inert material such aspreviously ceptacle 1 and flowing outwardly therefrom through pipe 12and through the con denser will be Withdrawn through pipe 18 in anysuitable'manner and may be returned to pipe 6 for subsequent use inconnection with the process or may be otherwise suitably employed.

A discharge pipe 18 is provided in the base of the condenser, saiddischarge pipe being provided With a cutoff valve 19 ac tuated by afloat 20 so arranged as to close the valve When the liquid level Withinthe condenser drops. The liquid product formed bythe improved processand collecting in the bottom or receptacle 1 and condenser-I13 may bepiped to a suitable receiving tanlr through the discharge pipes 8 andi8.

in practice the proportion of acetone employed with the heavyhydrocarbon may be 5% although obviously this proportion is subject toWide variations depending upon particular conditions as may be broughtout during practical carrying out of the process. A suliicient amount ofnatural gas will be supplied to thoroughly impregnate "the heavy liquidmixture, the amount of said natural gas which is not mixed with thernsaeae heavy hydrocarbon to form the new conibustible fuel, beingrecovered in an unchanged condition through pipe 16.

It will thus be seen that l have provided an improved process whereby arelatively light hydrocarbon may be formed from-a heavy hydrocarbon bythe mixture therewith of a light gaseous hydrocarbon in the presence ofa uniting'agent having an affinity bone.

carrying out the improved process it will be obvious that variouschanges may be made therein Without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

The method of producing a liquid fuel consisting of mixing liquidhydrocarbon While I have described a practical Way offor both the heavyand the light hydrocar-

